Out There
by redwolfbane
Summary: Lt. Nyota Uhura got stuck in a time warp and ended up transformed into an Orion back in time. She's made up an alternate identity as Gamora - that's who Gamora really is. Uhura has a little contact through her old communicator... CROSSOVER! Please read only if you like strange crossovers and stuff like that!


" _Are you sure I can't stop by sometime and see you? It's been years…"_

Impeccable posture slackening, the woman took a quick glance around the noisy city, brushing past and Andolon and further into the recesses of the shadows of the towers.

"Yeah, it has…" She almost whispered, grin devoid from her face for fear that there could be someone watching. "Five and a half."

" _It's not the same without you…"_

Green skin instinctively tensed. The statement was bold. But wasn't that how he always was? Frank, bold, fearless…. Soft.

Five and a half years and the pain was still a throbbing ache in her chest, only brought to the surface of her memory when they'd talk.

"You're all getting along fine, right?" She replied with a measured breath.

" _Yeah, just started a new mission…"_ There was a pause and the voice picked up. " _Come on, we've been everywhere! Surely we can stop by your planet and see you… where are you?"_

The pain intensified at the sound of his smile - his eagerness to see her. She saw the blue eyes, crooked smile, disgruntled hair.

Closing her eyes she inhaled deeply. Yes, seeing him would be wonderful…

"I move around a lot these days…" She replied - masked truth getting sour on her tongue as she said it all again.

" _We could meet you?"_

"I'm sorry, I can't… I'm a very long way away…" she muttered, the most truthful explanation she could bear to give hime.

" _I bet you I've been there…"_

"I bet you you haven't." She laughed letting her stone guard down for a moment.

" _It's good to hear from you."_

"You too." She replied, "I've got to run though, I'll talk to you later… thanks."

Thanks for talking. For being the only tie to a far distant dream of a past.

" _Of course. The crew misses you."_ He paused, " _And Nyota?"_ She flinched at the name. " _Spock says hello."_

The ache came again - sharper than before, knocking any remaining breath away from her as she gave a sharp nod.

"Tell the crew 'hello'." She managed to reply. "And Christine."

" _Of course. Keep in touch..."_

"Good-bye, Jim."

She flipped the communicator shut, not waiting for a response - green fingers curling around it with force that caused it to creak. Her breath was never hitched, never uneven, never out of control. She always maintained control - except now.

Four times she'd talked to him since the portal had opened and each time she'd lost a piece of resolve - something she'd vowed to never lose again.

"Jim, huh? That's his name?"

She whirled at the sharp voice, almost jumping - almost frightened. For a second her mind had been on the _Enterprise_ again but her approacher pulled her back to this new reality.

Unease knotted in her already cringing stomach as he stepped from the dark doorway, leather coat flapping in the light breeze. She'd decided never to tell anyone where she'd come from - she couldn't mess with time that way, she'd been through enough away missions involving the space-time-continuum to know that.

"Peter." She frowned, eyebrow lowering as she found her resting stone-masked face and returned to her squared stance.

"So are you not the last of your race….? Or are we into interracial relationships here, 'Mora?" His smile was thin.

She raised an eyebrow at his sunter as he approached her, hands moving too much to be relaxed, eyes avoiding hers enough to be annoyed.

He knew she had secrets. Why bother with taunting?

"It is my own business." She replied flatly.

"Really?" He gave a dry chuckle - joking tone hiding an underlying sting. "Because, I thought you said the Guardians were all you had… so are we second to your boyfriend? Or are you keeping _more_ secret alliances with psychopathic intergalactic tyrants?"

She offered a deeper frown. "I fail to see why you would think that…"

It was times like those that she found her hands clasped behind her back with a perturbed eyebrow raising her discolored skin.

She corrected her posture immediately - pushing back the sudden explosion of memories as she shoved her old communicator into her satchel.

His faked smile faded and he gave a sigh

"C'mon, Gamora, what's-"

She folded her arms roughly, dark eyes flashing with flared impatience and resurfaced pain. "-It is nothing to concern yourself with, _Starlord._ I owe no explanation to you."

She expected his own spark of anger to flare in his eyes but they drooped, sandy hair tussling in the wind as he dropped his head with a sigh. "Fine."

Annoyance disappeared as soon as it had flared, leaving only the ache again. She moved to walk past him, hoping to leave the conversation and the fresh memories behind. She couldn't remember what she'd said to Jim she could only hope that Peter hadn't heard anything _too_ strange.

She knew he could never know. Or, at least, that she'd never tell him.

He caught her arm as she passed him, gloved hand squeezing her arm. "Hey… I'm glad he picked up this time."

She turned toward him, confusion evident. Her last call to Kirk hadn't solicited an answer and she shivered involuntarily. How did Peter know that?

"And, uh, for what it's worth…" he let her go gently, shoving his hands in his pockets with a glance at the darkening sky. "I lost my family somewhere out there too."


End file.
